Posts Tagged ‘National Teacher Day’

Other than close family members, teachers are often the most influential people in a person’s life.Surely their time, energy and efforts deserve some recognition!So how will you recognize the teachers who had such an impact on your life or on the life of your child(ren)?It doesn’t take much time, money or effort to give a “World’s Greatest Teacher” or “Teachers Have Class” coffee mug but unless the teacher is fresh out of college or fairly new to the profession I would suggest that you skip these type of gifts (most teachers have more than they know what to do with) and put a little more thought into how you express your appreciation.

A thoughtful card or handwritten letter would surely bring a warm feeling to a teacher’s heart, as would a small token, but personal, gift.As a former teacher myself, I can honestly say that a gift need not cost a lot of money to be appreciated.Most teachers that I know talk a lot and they need to stay hydrated throughout the day!Skip the mugs mentioned above but consider what the teacher may enjoy drinking instead.Gourmet coffee or herbal teas make a fine choice, as would reusable water bottles or lidded travel mugs.Another suggestion would be some fine chocolate, cookies or other sweets for days when their flagging energy could really use a sugar boost! A small gift basket may be ideal.

Non-food items could include a stash of stickers or rubber stamps for primary grade teachers; books for classroom libraries; or gift certificates to local book stores, teaching supply, craft or office supply stores.You would be surprised how much money an elementary school teacher spends out-of-pocket on motivational and educational items for their classroom to supplement what the school boards provide.Any gift that enhances what they do in the classroom will be sure to be appreciated!

If you happen to be lucky enough to know some of the teacher’s personal interests (such as gardening, crafting, involvement in a particular sport) then by all means tailor your gift along those lines!As long as a gift is well thought out and useful or personal in nature you’re sure to receive an A+ for your efforts!

“It will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need, and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber.” – Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

National Teacher’s Day falls on May 6th this year.It is celebrated annually on the Tuesday of the first full week of May as part of Teacher Appreciation Week.I suspect that National Teacher’s Day is another of those observances that the majority of the population may not be familiar with, much like Doctor’s Day, Nurse’s Day, and other similar days devoted to acknowledging/celebrating members of a given profession.I believe that it is a day worth acknowledging however, as teachers play such a crucial role in our society.

You may question my choice of the term “crucial” but I will explain why I believe this to be true.With the exception of a very small minority of home schooled children, it is fair to say that a teacher taught most of us how to read.A teacher taught us how to write, how to communicate, how to add & subtract, how to tell time and many other necessary basic skills.Had we not learned these skills every day simple chores such as grocery shopping, paying bills, and simply driving or commuting to and from work would be a nightmare.

Had it been left to my parents to teach me these basic life skills who knows if I would even be sitting at my computer typing this today!On one side of my family my grandparents were immigrants who were struggling to learn how to speak and read a new language themselves without any formal instruction.On the other side of my family my grandfather was illiterate and could neither read nor write anything beyond his own name.Both sets of my grandparents, as well as my parents, were far too busy working (often multiple jobs) just to feed their families.There was no time for teaching their children how to read or write – just how to survive.The finer points of education were left up to our teachers and this situation was hardly unique to just my family, I’m sure.

Teachers do so much more than just teach students how to read and write – they also socialize children and help them to become fully functional members of society.As the author Robert Fulghum so poignantly points out in his best selling 1989 book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, it is often teachers who teach children to share, to take turns, not to take things that belong to others, to put things back where they found them, and, in his words, “[p]lay fair. Don’t hit people. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”Teachers reinforce the morals, customs and mores parents teach their children at home and fill in the gaps that parents miss.They educate, yes, but they also encourage, nurture and support the next generation to reach their full potential as human beings.